I just wanted to share with you the performance times that we were given for our State Band Festival held at Apex Friendship H.S. next month:

Wind Ensemble

Wednesday, March 21

Performance: 1:55pm

(We will leave Athens at 12:10pm and should be back by 4:00pm.  Students involved in sporting events after school will probably be free to leave Apex Friendship by 3:15pm.  Students will be excused from 3rd and 4th block classes.)

Symphonic Band

Thursday, March 22

Performance: 12:20pm

(We will leave Athens at 10:45am and should be back by 2:00pm.  Students will be excused from 1/2 of 2nd period and all of 3rd period.  They are with me 4th period.)

State Band Festival is the only time that our concert groups are adjudicated throughout the school year.  The groups receive ratings based on the quality of their performance by a panel of 4 “judges.”  Steeped in tradition, this event is almost 100 years old having begun in the 1920’s after the first World War.  John Philip Sousa was one of the first “judges”.

Needless to say, this event is VERY IMPORTANT, a cornerstone of our year.  Ratings are made public and distributed to music programs throughout the state.  It is a remarkably valid indicator of the quality of instrumental music in a school.  Thank you for supporting this endeavor!